5 Ways You Are Sabotaging Your Fitness

Okay so you are really working on getting fitter but you are finding that you are just not getting the results that you think you should be getting. You regularly are working out but not much is changing. This is super frustrating as you want to feel fitter, stronger, more toned and of course have more energy.

So what is going wrong?

I see this sometimes and it is usually because of one of the following five reasons.

1. You are overtraining

You are training so hard and getting lots of workouts in. Sometimes you might even be doing two full on workouts in the one day. This should be getting you quick results. But no – you are just tired and your muscles are always sore. Overtraining is also a big reason why people get injured as your body just can’t keep going if it does not get time to recover properly.

Always training hard is not the way to go. You need to give your body time to recover after a workout. When you work hard, you are putting your body under stress and it needs time to recover and adapt to the training.

Schedule hard workouts over the week and incorporate workouts that focus on stretching and core work in between those full on workouts. Yoga, pilates, swimming, walking, foam rolling and stretching are all great for helping your body recover after a big workout.

2. You are always doing the same thing.

As I mentioned you need to mix things up. Variety is the key to great results. Plus this way you never ever get bored.

If you always do the same workouts then your body adjusts to what you do and you will find that your results plateau. This is where it is important to look at a variety of different ways to train. If you do mainly body weight training, why not try a workout using heavier weights and fewer repetitions. If you run or walk and head out on the same route each workout, your body will adapt to the terrain, so make sure you change where you walk or run.

Having lots of variety in your workouts also keeps your training fun and interesting as you will not get bored with doing the same old thing. I know myself, I love adding in something a little different in a workout. For instance when I strength train, I try and mix up my strength training by adding in some intervals of skipping or boxing. When I run I make sure I head out to different places and sight see as I run.

3. You always play it safe and never go outside of your comfort zone.

Do you really work to your maximum when you work out? Sometimes it can be really easy to just go through the motions of a workout and not really push yourself. It might be that you are exercising in a group and you are using this time as a catch up with friends so you chat away the entire workout. Well if you can talk throughout the entire workout, are you really working hard?

Ask yourself, Can I give a bit more? Can I lift a heavier weight? Can I do pushups on my toes? Can I jump that little bit higher? Can I run faster?

It is so easy to take the easy path so during your next workout, be aware of the effort you are putting in and see if you really are working hard.

4. You are not refueling properly.

This can be a complex one.

Some people are so fixated on losing weight that they actually do not eat enough as they are worried about consuming too many kilojoules. Just think – is your car going to run properly if you give it poor quality fuel or worse still if you run your car on empty. Your body needs to be fueled properly. Think good quality grains, lean protein and lots of vegetables and fruit.

Then on the flip side, some people over indulge after a workout session as they think that they have burnt lots of kilojoules so can eat up big.

I know many people try and track how many kilojoules they have burnt during their workout by using an exercise tracker. Exercise trackers do not give you an accurate measure of the kilojoules used in your workout. It is only a guide so don’t take it as gospel as it is just an estimate.

If you are not sure whether you are eating for optimal results then come and sit down with Melinda and she can help you with some strategies so that you know you are nourishing your body correctly.

5. Not getting enough sleep

I know how busy life is but it is super important to get a good night’s sleep. It is during this time that your body repairs itself.

Plus if you are tired, you are not going to train well and your technique often will suffer as you are not focusing properly. This can then lead to injury and not being able to exercise at all.

Aim for 8 hours of sleep every night. Get yourself a bed time ritual, have time away from technology of an evening. Turn off bright lights and take time to relax. For me, this is the time that I stretch and foam roll, I then have a herbal tea and as I go to bed read for a short time before lights out and sleep.

I hope that you have found this helpful. I challenge you to change things up with your workouts and enjoy your journey to being fitter and healthier.